NEWS BRIEFING: Trial of TB vaccine to reduce COVID-19 infections

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2020-03-27 00:01

Australia; VIC; WA

Researchers at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) are about to embark on a trial of the TB vaccine to combat COVID-19 infections in front line health care workers. Although the vaccine was created to prevent tuberculosis, a severe bacterial infection, previous studies have shown that the vaccine has the added benefit of boosting the immune system, allowing the body to fight other infections, and hopefully in this case reduce COVID-19 symptoms. The multi-centre trial will be conducted with 4,000 health workers in hospitals around the country to determine if it is effective against COVID-19. Similar trials are being conducted in other countries including The Netherlands, Germany and the UK.

Media release

From: Australian Science Media Centre

Join the briefing to hear from lead researcher Professor Nigel Curtis, a clinician-scientist who leads MCRI’s Infectious Diseases Research Group. Note that Professor Curtis has limited availability for one-on-one interviews and so this briefing is a chance to ask questions about the trial.

Speaker:

Professor Nigel Curtis, Group Leader, Infectious Diseases, Murdoch Children's Research Institute

Date: Thursday 26 March 2020
Start Time: 3.15pm AEDT
Duration: Approx 45 min
Venue: Online

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Video Australian Science Media Centre, Web page Briefing recording playback

Journal/
conference:

Organisation/s: Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI)

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